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Ablative Armour
Ablative Armour plating is armour which serves as protection against some varieties of laser or beam weapons, in particular those which deal damage through vaporization or melting. It differs from Reactive Armour in various ways, but the two are often used simultaneously, combined in the same suit or defensive structure to provide protection against various threats against which each type specializes, with Ablative plates most often forming the top layer. Ablative armour usually gets destroyed on impact with... anything, and so must be constantly replaced. Fortunately, it's cheap. Application Starship Armour Ablative plating exists on starships as defense against Laser Weapons. It exists underneath the Atmospheric Layer(which is often ignored as being a layer at all on some ships) and can vary in thickness. Almost every starship will have at least cardboard-thick layers of ablative plates, and some more expensive ships will have their layers corrugated. These sheets are usually molded or welded onto the hull in one piece. Warships possess ablative plates - almost always corrugated, and reinforced with rigid sets of high-tensile struts going between the plating and giving it a grid-like appearance, which also allow them to withstand greater punishment against non-laser weapons, which they must, being the top layer. Examples The Servan Star Battlecruiser Rubiya is known for its ablative plating being very strategically placed around weapon turrets and command stations in an attempt to allow these critical functions of the ship to survive a concentrated attack from even a heavy combat laser. While she was inevitably destined to fight against more ballistically-inclined enemies that were not so proliferate with lasers on ships as they were on the ground, and was eventually destroyed, many star admirals took note of the placement and tried to modify their flagships. Other Ablative plating also serves as protection not against weapons but against radiation and erosion caused by moving at tremendous speed through space and encountering small meteorites and other particles in the process. While the Atmospheric Layer, most often made of gold sheets, usually serves in this capacity, the atmospheric layer requires constant replacement and its soft composition means it is easily shredded apart in a battle, so often the ablative layer becomes a ship's only protection against the elements. Vehicular Armour On most light and heavy vehicles, Ablative plating is used, especially in heat-vulnerable areas such as gas tanks and engine blocks. It's usually corrugated and of substantial thickness, as heavier laser weapons tend to be targetted at such vehicles. Ablative plating is very lightweight, especially by comparison to heavy or reactive armour, and so even the lightest vehicles intended or reconniasance or mobility purposes are outfitted with ablative armour, as it is seen as a necessity. Examples During the Cambrian War many vehicles on the Servan side were outfitted with ablative plating. The Humans used beam weapons very liberally among their infantry and vehicles, and so vehicles were equipped to defend against it, as were infantry. (See Below). The armour turned out to be more effective than was previously believed possible, with vehicle companies receiving fewer and fewer losses with each combat mission than previous missions without the plating. Atmospheric Craft Atmospheric fighters and bombers use ablative plating, not as defense against the weapons of other craft but as heat shields during re-entry of a planet's atmosphere. Ideally, the ablative plating shouldn't need to be used more than once, and as such is not very durable or usable beyond the first time. If planes are forced to re-dock at their carrier, they must not only refuel and re-arm but must receive a fresh layer of ablative armour so that they can re-enter the atmosphere safely. Landing Craft Landing and exploration craft use ablative plating for much the same purpose, however in these cases landing craft are intended to be durable machines capable of landing on planets several times, and are an example of ablative plating which does not need constant replacement. Examples The Spanish-designed Cazador is a plane originally designed for use in low gravity, low atmosphere areas, particularly asteroids and asteroid fields. Its lack of ablative plating, to make room for the atmospheric layer, has meant that it has become its only purpose, and something it has developed to be specialized at. It cannot be used to enter an atmosphere without great modification, however. Infantry Body Armour Among nations which utilize metallic-based solid armour, ablative plating is used on infantry Cuirasses to provide protection against direct hits from ground-based Beam Weapons. In most cuirasses, it is corrugated, and usually cardboard-thickness. Helmets tend not to be made with ablative plating, as most post-battle analysis have shown corrugated ablative cuirasses to be more than suitable protection, with the torso and center mass being most often the areas of impact of such small arms. Helmets largely serve the purpose of protection against shrapnel or falling debris in urban areas. Where softer and more mobile armor is preferred, ablative protection exists not as plates but as foil, with the texture and thickness of, well, aluminum foil. It provides much the same protective qualities. Examples In the same war, infantry soldiers on the Servan side benefitted from ablative layers being inserted onto their infantry cuirasses. Servan protection against lasers was far greater and produced more positive results than Human protection served against the high-caliber Servan battle rifles. See Also *Reactive Armour *Heavy Armour Category:Technology